FUTURE OB THE SHEEP INDUSTRY . I At the recent meeting In Dertoit of ¦ he Franco-American Sheep Breeders Association , Robt Gibbons , of Michigan , read an excellent , paper , Future of Sheep Husbandry in the United States , in part as follows : We may look for changes ln the sheep industry in the west . The large ranges will bejjcome smaller , and the best lands will toe- homesteaded . The large flocks will [ be fewer , and size reduced . The cost jbf production will be more , and all this Swill be reflected on the conditions in Sthe east . Woolen factories will spring fop in the west near where the production of wool is . The type of sheep , wlll be modified , more wool and mutton combined . More and better care Will be required . Foreign develop fflhents of the sheep Industry will be a ¦ great factor in determining the condi- | tions in America , In , Africa there is a istrong probability of great developIment in the sheep Industry . The Arf gentine Republic today has more sheep ...

WHY SHEEP PAY . Prof . Kennedy , of the Iowa Experiment Station , says that there are 600 jkinds of weeds and grasses growing in / the agricultural states , and of these \ sheep eat 550 , horses eat 82 and cattle leat 56 . He says sheep relish most wveedsand do well . on them , and , therefore , every farm of a quarter section Vjhould have at least a flock of twentyBve sheep to help keep down the weeds , and that small flocks pay their way on most farms In this way . He says : Less labor is required in handling sheep , than almost any other kind of . stock , during a large portion of the year they will take care of themselves and at the same time utilize the weeds and other wastes found on so many lta . rma . True it is that at certain seasons of the year they must be given food , care and attention . This Is es- . pecially so at lambing time . The successful flockmaster ls the one who ! Watches the old and young very closely I at this season of the year .

MILK FEVER . Mr . E . P . William s writes the Jersey Bulletin : It chanced about four years since that on a jury of freeholders called to try an eminent domain of very considerable experience . I knew that one of them had in years past been a serious sufferer ; loser from this dreaded scourge . During an interval of recess mention was made of experience with milk fever . Surprised was I to learn from them that after perhaps ten years last preceding their herds had not suffered from the scourge save in a single instance . Neither of these men made claim to superior learning . However , each was well up in dairy literature , were likewise practical men and dairymen . They suggested to me that even under our artificial system of breeding and caring for dairy stock , nature was ever present and with wise prescience planning with a view to promote the wel fare of both dam and offspring . That since bringing forth the calf tended materially to deplete the system of the dam it was imperat...

GREAT OPPORTUNITIES Mr . Walter Ruckel , land agent , SSJ Odd Fellows Building , Springfield , HL , has some very choice rice lands lying along the Southern Pacific Railway , ln Texas . You should write or call on him and learn of the great bargains there are to be obtained in this section of the country . Mr . Ruckel also has some very nice propositions to offer you in timber land ln Arkansas and Mississippi .

FARMERS , TEST YOUR SEED CORN . Will your seed corn grow ? This question every farmer should be able to answer for himself before the corn planting season arrives . The question is very imperative this year , because there Is every indication that a great deal of the cribbed corn of last year s crop , which furnishes the greater part of the seed corn planted , will not germinate this spring . The conditions during the past winter have been very unfavorable for the maintenance of vitality of seed corn ; the late maturity , the sappy condition at husking time , with consequent increased moisture in the cribbed corn , has made It more susceptible to the past winter s freezing and the result is a very large per cent , of corn low ln vitality . Corn husked early and stored carefully where It became thoroughly dry before cold weather , is not damaged and will cermijj + cci . vveen . uie HolstelM-, v _ - &amp;gt; osult Jersey . They are as oil and water ^ 800 gtS __ £ » , jL _ is a sta...

ELEGANT DINING CARS . New Service Inaugurated on the Iron Mountain Route . The Iron Mountain Route has inaugurated a new dining car service on Its fast daily trains from St Louis , Memphis and the intermediate points to Texas . These cars have just been turned out of the Pullman shops and are models of skillful workmanship . They are handsomely fitted up , thoroughly equipped with the latest appliances and lighted with electricity . They are also , supplied with electrio fans . Meals are served a la carte from dainty Haviland china , Libby cut glassware and elegant silverware . This Is the only line running dining cars from St Louis to points in Southern Missouri , Arkansas and Texas . It has a triple daily service between St . Louis and Texas and a double dally service between Memphis and Texas se whaJ , Sl ? n -. sIee P . lnS caxa wlth electric . ojfsclw ; tor ^&amp;amp; Ollsls . i &amp;gt;* y . $ o-date appliances . - «~ .. i . . ii . ¦ . *_ __

THE COLONIZATION OF TEXAS . To-day the eyes of the world are on Texas . Out of 175 , 000 , 000 acres of land only 17 , 000 , 000 are In cultivation . The state can take care of the population of the entire west . It produces all of the known crops ln abundance . Lands are cheap , climate delightful , ; people among the best ln the world * and school facilities the best in the union . Fortunes are being made in rice cultivation in the coast country , and recent Investigations of the Agricultural Department demonstrate magnificent tobacco lands which rival those of Cuba . The Southern Paclfie-Sunset Route penetrates the best section of the state , completely traversing the rice and oil belts from end to end . Write for information and literature to S . F . B . Morse , Passenger Traffic Manager , Houston , Texas , or J . H . Lathrop , G . A , St Louis , Mo .

—~~~~~~ | THE BIG FAIR . \ The Minnesota State Fair of 1902 | | pas a record breaker in point of receipts . The total receipts for the 1902 jBtate Fair at St Paul , including $ 4 ,- fiOO . OO received from the State , was ¦ 143 , 305 . 00 . W After paying the expenses of the fair , Salaries for the past year , amounting to $ 15 , 666 . 00 , the managers have a feomfortable balance in the treasury of ¦ 55 , 243 . 00 for the exploitatlo nof the Bom ing fair . 1 | The explanation in great part of the Knprecedented success of the Minnesota State Fair is made plain when the ipnount expended the past season in judicious advertising is announced , ( ihich was $ 8 , 477 . 00 .

| MUTTON CONFORMATION . i . An eastern writer says : The mutpn sheep should be of the same general conformation as the beef steer or ny good beef animal . Straight on the lack and under the body , nearly traight np and down in front and rear ; 1 fact , about as square as a brick , [ Higer than deep and deeper than thick . She legs should be short and stocky hd set well apart , or apparently dlictly under the four corners of the bdy . They should be large enough to ppear able to support the weight of he body . The neck should curve upward from the body , not downward at &amp;gt; aving the shoulders , or what is called I ewe neck , and the head should have broad face and short nose . No rominent backbone or hipbones should how when the sheep is sheared . The rool 1 » a secondary consideration tn a rotton sheep , yet we would not buy oe tha * did not carry a compact fleece tea good weight as is natural to the reed . A scattering , uneven fleece Is idlcattve of either poor , health ...

SONS OF FLYING FOX . Mr . John A . Pence , secretary Jersey Herd Boole , Island of Jersey , writes that the sons of Plying Fox have won everything at the late shows and that Kngllsh breeders are after then ) .

COLONIST RATES , WEST ANU SOUTHWEST , VIA WABASH . On the first and third Tuesdays of each month the Wabash will sell one way colonist tickets at greatly reduced rates to many points in the following states : Arkansas , Colorado , Indian Territory , Kansas , Louisiana , Missouri and New Mexico . For particulars relative to rates , time and service , call on or address R . C . Fleming , Passenger and Tick * et Agent , Springfield , HI .

i Cbe Dairy im aM ^» mMtmMVmm ** m * m * am m * ggmmMm gM gmmwrnm m mm am &amp;gt; m &amp;lt; m mm - ADVANTAGE OF DAIRYING . By C . A . Moseley . In a general way two difficulties seem to confront those who are laboring In the field of improved dairying . The first is the difficulty o £ making farmers see the advantage of dairying as a factor in diversified farming ; and the second and subsequent difficulty is that of convincing them that , once Started in dairying , it is worthy the most careful thought , the most diligent study and the most persistent effort . It would seem almost unnecessary to have to argue the value o £ dairying either as a specialty or as a branch of farming . Butter making is a fine art of agriculture . No product of the farm can be made to exhibit the skill employed in its production as readily as butter . One bushel of potatoes resembles in a great measure every other bushel , but one pound of butter made from the milk of well-bred , well-fed cows ,...

Feeds and Feeding By Prof . W . A . Henry , of the University of Wliconuin . A Valuable . Indispensable Book tor The Dairyman , . Cattle Breeder , .... — ¦ - • Sheep Breeder , Swine Breeder Prof . Henry Is one of our best authorities on Live Stock and the Dairy and this work of 657 pages , substantially bound , ls both the result of his own wide experience and of experiments at various prominent stations . It ls comprehensivar embracing full explanations of the character and value of all feeds , instructions as to making rations ; ln fact ! js a guide ln everything that the feeder may , wish to know . We will furnish this book , ; postpaid , for $ 2 . _ 4